Composite electrode.



W. A..SMITH. COMPOSITE BLECTRODE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 29, 1911.

1,082,514. A Pana Ju1y16,'1912.

WILLIAM ACI-IESON SMITH, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW

UmrED. STATES PATENT oEEicE..

YORK, ASSIGNOR TO INTERNA- TIONAL ACHESON GRAPHITE COMPANY, F NEW YORK, N. Y.,.A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application Afiled May 29, 1911. serial No. 630,032.,

i COMPOSITE ELECTRODE.

'Patented July 16, 191,2.

To all fathom it may concern: p

Be it known that I, WILLIAM AcHEsoN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara andv State' of New York, have invented certain new and' useful Improvements in `Composite Electrodes, of which thel follow- 4 ing is a specification.

This invention relates to electrodes for electro-thermicv work,. the object of the invention being the provision of an improved A composite electrode.

.It is often desirable in connection with electro-thermic operations to" provide.- electrodes of large cross-sectional area, and consisting of conductive members of carbon or graphite in conjunction with a filling of lower electrical-conductivity. According to the present invention electrodes of this character may be made of greater length than has heretofore been practicable, whereby a decided economy results, inasmuch as vthe necessary waste, in case the unused ends of the electrodes are rejected, is practically constant; and this waste bears therefore a ,diminishingv proportionto the total as the length of the electrode. is increasedl Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are-illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, whereinl Figure l is a central longitudinal section of one form of electrode; Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on line II-II; Fig. 3 is a centrallongitudinal section of a modiiedrform of'electrode; and Fig. lis a trans-l verse section thereof on line IKW-IV.

The electrode illustrated in Fig.` 1 comprises a central rod, bar orcore, 1, l, which graphite or-other highlyv of carbon, and a surroundv 1spreferably of conductive form ing body 2 of lower lelectrical conductivity.

This body 2 may consistof an initially plastic or fluid mixture of coke andtar, or of other carbonaceousmaterlal `and binder, or of any suitable cement, concrete or mass which is not objectionable in connection with the use to which the electrode is to be put. The conductive member consists ofl a plurality of sections 1, 1, which are joined end to end in such manner `as to constitute a substantially continuous conductor. The joints may be of any desired kind, but are preferably so formed that they are Aadapted to be held firmly in place by the ysurrounding mass 2. 'This is simply and conveniently accomplished by a scarf or equivalent construction of the' ends of the members 1, as indicated by the numeral 3.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 3,

4f the conductive members la, exposed throughout their length, being embedded in the surface of the mass 2, but so interlocked therewith by means of their bevsecured. This construction has the advantage that direct electrical contact may be made 4with the conductive members at any desired point in theirlength'.

Obviously,lthe construction maybe otherwise modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. A composite .electrode consisting of a jointed conductive member or members, and a supporting body of lower electrical conductivity.

2. A composite electrode consisting of a jointed member or members of graphite, and a supporting body of lower electrical conductivity. 3. A composite electrode consisting of a jointed member or members of graphite, and

' a supporting body of non-graphitic carbon.

11a, are laterally.

eled'edges 4, that the integrity of the joint is V In testimony whereof, I afx my signature in presence ofltwo witnesses. j Y WILLIAMl ACHESON Witnesses: i i

ORRIN E. DUNLALI CfAQTRYoN. 

